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Champagne

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By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

I must confess … I love bubbly; regardless if it’s in a Mimosa for breakfast, a glass of Prosecco for lunch, Champagne as an apéritif, during dinner, or even a glass of Asti after dinner!

Sparkling wines are superb pairing partners with a multitude of international foods, from appetizers to main courses and finishing with desserts. Although all wine-producing countries make some type of sparkling wines, the most common styles or designations are: Brut, Extra Dry, Sec, Demisec, Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and Vintage.

Some names of sparkling wines produced worldwide include Champagne, Crémant, Cava, Franciacorta, Asti, TrentoDoc, Prosecco, Sekt, and simply “sparkling wine.”

Dry sparkling wines pair with salty foods; fried and deep-fried foods; spicy hot foods; smoked foods; oily seafood such as anchovies, bluefish, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, and tuna; chives, garlic, ginger, leeks, onions, scallions, and shallots; citrus and citrus-like ingredients; and fresh herbs such as cilantro, parsley, sage, and tarragon.

— Sparkling wine is an excellent an apéritif because of its refreshing, appetite-stimulating effervescence.

— Sparkling wines add excitement to the meal when served throughout dinner.

— Many Asian foods can be paired with sparkling wines.

— Dry sparkling wines taste thin and unpleasant with sweet desserts

— Avoid serving dry sparkling wines with desserts featuring chocolate or lemon sauces.

— Avoid serving dry sparkling wines with salads featuring tart or acidic dressings.

— Avoid serving dry sparkling wines with tomato-based sauces, whose acid interacts with the high acid of the wine, causing a tart, sometimes biting taste in the mouth.

Recently tasted sparkling wines include:

NV Moser 51,151 “TrentoDoc” Brut, (DOC) Trento, Italy: 100% Chardonnay grapes. Straw-yellow with a fruity aroma of blueberries and raspberries. Medium-bodied, dry, and crispy tasting, with hints of apples and cherries.

NV Codorníu Cuvée Clásico “Cava Brut,” Spain: Blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-Lo grapes; a bouquet of green apples, lemon, and brioche. Dry, clean, and crispy in the mouth with a pleasing aftertaste of almonds.

NV Ca’ del Bosco “Cuvée Prestige,” Franciacorta (DOCG) Lombardy, Italy: A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Bianco grapes; crisp, delicate bouquet with hints of almonds, dried pears, and apples. Soft in the mouth with a crispy aftertaste.

NV Valdo Cuvée di Boj “Prosecco Brut,” (DOC) Veneto, Italy: Medium-bodied with a floral bouquet of stone fruits, apples, and citrus. Dry with hints of fennel and ginger.

NV Ruinart “Blanc de Blancs” (Champagne, France): Clean and crisp with flavors of green apple, pear, brioche, celery, and citrus.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected]

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By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

Champagne is a region in France about 90 miles northeast of Paris. Sparkling wines made there using the méthode champenoise (Champagne method) are called Champagne. 

Sparkling wines made in other regions of France regardless of how good they are cannot be called Champagne; they are known as crémant and vin mousseux (sparkling wine).

I attended a Wine Media Guild seminar/tasting of French Champagne (prestige cuvées) in December and here are my tasting notes.

NV G.H. Mumm “Blanc de Blancs” Hints of celery, bread dough and brioche. Crisp and clean.

NV Valentin Leflaive “Blanc de Blancs (extra brut)” Very dry with nuances of green apple, lime, violets and toasted bread.

Collet Collecion Privée” 2006 Hints of toasted bread, biscuits; full-flavored and delicious.

Boizel “Joyau de France” 2000 Fruity with flavors of peach and hazelnut; good finish.

Perrier-Jouët “Belle Epoque” 2012 Pear and green apple along with a nutty aftertaste.

Alfred Gratien “Cuvée Paradis” 2009 Hints of cider, red apple and baked bread. Well-balanced.

NV Delamotte “Blanc de Blancs” Light and crisp with citrus and chamomile flavors. Aftertaste of pears.

Piper-Heidsieck “Rare” 2006 Green apple, citrus and nuts. Lingering aftertaste.

Henriot “Cuvée Hemera” 2005 Darker color with overtones of brioche, pear and apple tart.

Palmer & Co. “Brut” (served in magnum) 2003 Granny Smith apple, citrus, curry and full of flavor.

Taittinger “Comtes de Champagne” 2007 Crisp, clean tasting with considerable bubble; plenty of fruit.

Dom Ruinart “Blanc de Blancs” (served in magnum) 2004 Elegant with full chardonnay flavor; crisp, with a lasting finish.

Moët & Chandon “Dom Pérignon Rosé” 2006 Delicate and floral bouquet with overtones of black currants; persistent finish.

NV Laurent-Perrier “Grand Siècle” Honeyed, nutty aromas with hints of almonds and freshly baked brioche.

Charles Heidsieck “Blanc des Millènaires” 2004 Very dry; lively with citrus and brioche. Creamy aftertaste.

Pol Roger “Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill” 2006 Overtones of citrus, toasted brioche, pear and licorice.

Louis Roederer “Cristal” 2008 Citrusy bouquet with overtones of waffles, red apple and pears.

Veuve Clicquot “La Grande Dame” 2008 Crisp, medium-bodied, elegant, floral and honeyed bouquet.

Bollinger “Grande Année” 2008 Apple tart, brioche, butter and nutty overtones. Long aftertaste.

NV Krug “Grande Cuvée 168th edition” Toasted bread, full-bodied, ginger, spices and a long and pleasing aftertaste.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need to Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He conducts training seminars on wine, spirits and food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

Sparkling wines can be red, white or rosé (pink) and dry, off-dry, semisweet or even sweet.

By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

The expression, “All that bubbles is not champagne,” might be overplayed, but it is true. Sparkling wines are made throughout the world in virtually every country that makes wine, and most countries have a local name for their “bubbly.” However, the term “champagne” is properly given to the sparkling wines made in the Champagne region of France. Sparkling wines made in the U.S. must provide a geographic term such as New York, American, or California before the word “Champagne.”

A sparkling wine is an effervescent wine (contains bubbles) resulting from the secondary fermentation of wine within a closed container (bottle or tank). Sparkling wines are made globally from a multitude of different grapes and grape blends. Sparkling wines can be red, white or rosé (pink) and dry, off-dry, semisweet or even sweet. Prices also range from inexpensive to very expensive, sometimes costing hundreds of dollars per bottle.

Some recently tasted sparkling wines that should satisfy anyone’s taste are:

Codorníu Cuvée Clásico “Cava Brut,” Spain (blend of macabeo, parellada and xarel-lo grapes): Fine pin-point bubbles with a bouquet of green apples, lemon and brioche. Dry, clean and crispy in the mouth with a pleasing aftertaste of almonds. Fabulous with fried calamari.

Codorníu Anna Blanc de Blancs, Brut Reserva, Spain (blend of chardonnay, parellada, xarel-lo and macabeo grapes): Delicately flavored, elegant and beautifully balanced with a nice creamy mouthfeel and a lively, fruity-spicy aftertaste. Raw oysters with a hint of mignonette sauce pairs well.

2016 Montesel Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, DOCG, Brut, Italy: A top-of-the-line dry prosecco, which has a fruity bouquet of apples, citrus and fennel. Flavors of ginger, stone fruit and anise round out this beauty. Did anyone say dark chocolate with some fresh raspberries!

Philippe Deval Brut Crémant de Loire, AOC Loire Valley, France (blend of chenin blanc and chardonnay grapes): A flowery aroma of apple cider, citrus, nuts and peaches. Dry and lemony with ripe melon flavors and almond aftertaste. Serve with a fruit-based sauce over pork.

Cococciola Brut Spumante, Abruzzo, Italy: Cococciola is a white grape variety grown in the Abruzzo (some in Apulia) region since the early 1900s and used mostly for blending. This is the first sparkling wine I have seen from the grape variety and it is amazing! Pale straw colored with a perfumed aroma of apricots, honeysuckle, lychee and wild flowers. Flavors of citrus and orange, with hints of sage and toasted almonds. The aftertaste begs for another glass (or bottle)! Pair this with some panettone, light fruit tarts or a bowl of strawberries with whipped cream.

By the way … the first recorded production of a bottle-fermented sparkling wine occurred as early as 1531 at the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire at Limoux in southern France, more than a century before Dom Pérignon arrived at Hautvillers.

Bob Lipinski, a local author, has written 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need to Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple,” available on Amazon.com. He conducts training seminars on wine, spirit and food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com or [email protected].

“I drink Champagne when I win, to celebrate … And I drink Champagne when I lose, to console myself.”

 (Napoléon Bonaparte I, 1769–1821, French General and Emperor)

By Bob Lipinski

I love “bubbly” … sparkling wines that dance on my tongue, revealing their subtle or bold flavors. Some are crisp and quite dry, while others are off-dry or even sweet. Virtually every country makes them and they are available in all sorts of style and prices. I would like to share with you some champagne and sparkling wines that I’ve recently tasted, which are worth purchasing.

Champagne

NV Ruinart “Blanc de Blancs” (Champagne, France). Clean and crisp with hints of brioche, citrus and celery. Quite dry, with a long, pleasing aftertaste.

NV André Jacquart Mesnil “Brut Nature” (Champagne, France). Green apple and citrus aromas with subtle flavors of pears and nuts. Very dry and palate cleansing.

2008 Pol Roger “Brut” (Champagne, France). Straw-colored with an aroma of biscuits, butter and citrus. Dry, with flavors of spices, toasted bread and green apple.

2006 Taittinger “Comtes de Champagne” (Champagne, France). An aroma of red apples, wheat and citrus. Medium-bodied with flavors of green apple, orange and spices.

1995 Charles Heidsieck “Blanc de Millénaires” (Champagne, France). Bouquet of toasted bread, citrus and green apple. Medium-bodied and dry, with delicate pear and apple flavors.

Cheeses that pair nicely with champagne are Beaufort, Boursault, Camembert, Carré de l’Est, Langres and Maroilles.

Prosecco

NV Bortolotti “47” Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, DOCG, “Extra Dry” (Italy). Wow… what a long name! Medium-full bodied with bouquet and flavor of peaches, apricots, flowers and a hint of coffee.

NV Terre di San Venanzio, Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG “Brut” (Italy). Medium-bodied with a floral bouquet of stone fruits, apples and citrus. Dry with hints of fennel and ginger.

NV Nino Franco Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG “Brut” (Italy). Lovely bouquet of apricots, wild flowers and citrus. Off-dry with hints of almonds.

Cheeses that pair nicely with prosecco include Asiago, Bagozzo, fontina, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino and Asiago Pressato.

The next two wines are slightly effervescent or as the Italians call them, “frizzante.” They are best served with panettone, fruit-based desserts or some Robiola de Roccaverano, a goat’s milk cheese from Piedmont. Two other recommended cheeses are Aostino and Gorgonzola.

Coppo 2015 Moncalvina Moscato d’Asti DOCG (Italy). Straw-colored, with greenish reflections. Floral notes along with peach and pear overtones. Semisweet with some citrus for balance.

Michele Chiarlo 2015 Nivole Moscato d’Asti DOCG (Italy). Intensely aromatic and fruity, suggestive of sage, grapefruit, apricot and meringue.

Bob Lipinski, a local author, conducts training seminars on wine, spirits and food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com.

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By Bob Lipinski

I am absolutely the best holiday shopper and everyone loves my gifts. My secret? I do all my shopping in a liquor store — wine shop, if you prefer — and it takes less than one hour. Forget those long lines, crowded malls and roads that resemble parking lots. I have never had a gift returned because it doesn’t “fit,” it’s the wrong color or size, it’s out of style, or “I already have one of these.”

There are countless holiday gift packs of wine and distilled spirits, some even contain glasses to enjoy the beverage. From cardboard boxes, tins, ribbons, bows and wooden boxes, each is colorfully decorated and makes a great gift. If you’re uncomfortable making a selection or really don’t know that much about wines and spirits, simply ask one of the store’s employees for assistance.

Some of my suggested wines and spirits for the holidays that won’t break your pocketbook are:

Bubbly
Cavicchioli Lambrusco “Vigna del Cristo” (Emilia-Romagna, Italy)
Roederer Estate “Brut” (Anderson Valley, California)

Wines
Ferrari-Carano “Fumé Blanc” (Sonoma, California), white
Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi, California), red
Sella & Mosca “Cannonau Riserva” (Sardinia, Italy), red
Nino Negri “Quadrio” (Lombardy, Italy), red

Spirits
Jim Beam “Black Label” Bourbon Whiskey (Kentucky)
Old Forester Bourbon Whiskey (Kentucky)
The Famous Grouse “Blended Scotch Whisky” (Scotland)
Black & White Blended Scotch Whisky (Scotland)
New Amsterdam Vodka (USA)
Svedka Vodka (Sweden)

Now, if you want to go all-out and impress, here are a some more suggestions:

Bubbly
Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill “Brut” (Champagne, France)
Besserat “Blanc de Blancs” (Champagne, France)

Wines
Gundlach-Bundschu “Chardonnay” (Sonoma, California), white
Olivier Leflaive “Puligny-Montrachet” (Burgundy, France), white
Clos du Val “Cabernet Sauvignon” (Napa, California), red
Domaine Alain Burguet “Chambolle-Musigny” (Burgundy, France), red
Zuccardi “Reserva Malbec” (Mendoza, Argentina), red

Spirits
Chivas Regal 18-Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (Scotland)
Booker’s Straight “Small Batch” Bourbon Whiskey (Kentucky)
Diplomatico Reserva 8-Year old Rum (Venezuela)
Prunier XO Cognac (France)

Now, what do I want as a holiday gift? A bottle of Baker’s, 107 proof, 7-Year-Old Bourbon, and a long straw to keep me happy on a cold winter night.

Also, recently, I had the opportunity to taste a simply delicious rosé wine from Provence, France, which will certainly be part of my holiday celebration. Maison Belle Claire Rosé is salmon-colored, with a luscious bouquet and taste of fresh fruits, cherries, peaches, strawberries, and orange. It is light, dry and refreshing, with plenty of fruit. Serve it chilled as part of your holiday brunch celebration.

In the words of the late Clifton Fadiman, an American writer, editor and book reviewer for The New Yorker, “Wine is alive, and when you offer it to your fellow man you are offering him life. That is why there are few better gifts to send than a case or two — or a bottle or two — of wine. It is not that when drinking it, they will recall the donor — if you crave such vulgar satisfactions, it is more efficient to send them a chair with a pair of spurs set in the upholstery. It is that, when drinking it, they will become more conscious of themselves, of their own capacity for joy.”

Bob Lipinski, a local author, has written nine books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He conducts training seminars on wine, spirits, and food; and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com or [email protected].